Portable electronic communication devices such as cellular telephones have become ubiquitous, and various kinds and models of devices have evolved to address specific needs. For example, “smart” phones often include touchscreen displays for displaying information to users and for accepting inputs from the users, and may include the capability to install application software to enhance the functions of the smart phone. Other more traditional phones may use an electromechanical keypad for entry of phone numbers to call and other information, and may use a display only for presenting information.
For some uses, specialized communication devices have been developed having greatly simplified user input interfaces. Some devices may lack any graphical display, and may include limited input capability, for example a single button for initiating a call to a previously-specified telephone number. While such a simplified user input interface is helpful to avoid mistakes and confusion on the part of the user of the device, the simplification comes at the cost of flexibility. For example, the device may have capabilities that are difficult or impossible to utilize using such a simplified input interface.
Many communication devices include short- or medium-range wireless transceivers for communicating with other devices in their immediate vicinity. For example, a cellular telephone may have, in addition to its cellular network transceiver, a Bluetooth® or other radio for local wireless communications. Local wireless communications may be used to connect to peripheral devices such as headphones, audio speakers, and the like. In other uses, a communication device may, once properly configured, be able to wirelessly connect to a sensor such as a heart rate monitor or other sensor, and relay information from the sensor to a remote monitoring station. However, configuring the local wireless communication channel may be difficult for some users, for example users whose communication devices have simplified user interfaces, or users who are unfamiliar with the steps required for the configuration.